Bag closure



Sept. 18, 1928.

A. B. FISHWICK BAG CLOSURE Filed Nov. 12

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Patented Sept. 18, 1928.

UNITED STATES mam B. rrsirwrcx, or omcnnwrr, onro.

BAG onostmn.

Application filed November 12, 1928. Serial No. 674,226.

My invention relates to methods for closing the mouths of. bags made of any suitable bag material and it is devised to take the place of the ordinary method'of gathering together the open folds and tying them with a cord or tie wire, or by sewing.

My invention has particular relation to closures for bags of comparatively large size and made of jute, burlap, cloth, paper or the In like, lined or unlined, intended to hold goods of considerable weight, and especially powdered material, such as cement, and material of that nature -with which it is desired to form a tight dust-proof closure, as economim cally and efiectively as possible, which can be readily and easily opened without cutting into or destroying the bag, and in which the closure shall have no tendency to tear or rupture the bag material.

I attain my purpose by that certain novel constructionand arrangement of parts to be hereinafter particularly pointed out and claimed, whereby I am able to obtain a flat closure with the upper edges of the bag brought together in a straight line as if the edges were sewed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bag with my novel closure applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a central vertical section of the same.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail frontview of a portion of the bag showing the closure devices.

Figure 4.- is a front view of one of the closure loops or books, and

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken through the mouth of one form of bag showing the closure construction.

Figure 6 is a similar view showing another way in which the closure works.

I have illustrated my invention in connection with a cloth or burlap bag such as is usually employed for cement, made of a sheet 45 of burlap, with a paper lining 2, with the side edges and the bottom sewed together with a side and bottom sea-m 3, 4.

In bags of this kind in order to form a stout upper edge, it is usual to provide a so strip of stiff material of suitable card-board or other material 5 which is secured along the upper edge by turning in the lined burlap over the stifl'ening strip and securing it with adhesive material or otherwise, leaving no the inner portions of the flap 6 free.

Along this reinforced mouth of the bag on both edges, I secure a series. of metal staples 7 arranged close together with the loops uppermost and so that when the edges of the bag are brought together the loops will alternate, one loop on one side coming between two loops on the other. I

These staples are preferably provided with the loops slightly off centeras shown at 7, 1n F gure 4. so that when the mouth of the bag is closed, the loops shall be substantially 1n alignment as shown in Figure 5. The ends of the staples are formed slightly hook shaped as at 8, so that when clinched in place through the reinforced upper edge of the bag, they will be securely attached in place.

When the bag has been filled, the edges of the mouth of the bag are'drawn together to bring the staple loops into alignment, by means of a suitable tool, which forms no part of my present invention, and then a wire or stiff cord 9 is passed through the loops and clinched or turned over the ends, or otherwise secured to hold the wire in place and the .bag is effectively closed.

As the bag is filled with material, the upper edges can only be brought together diagonally and for that reason I prefer to form the loops ofi center, as described, so that they will line up more easily. 1

The advantages of this form of closure will be obvious. As the folds are not gathered together, the bag can be filled more nearly to the top orfor the'same bulk of goods, less bag material will be required. Then as the bag is closed in the same way a sewed bag would be closed, this method of closure is especially applicable for valve bags where it is desired to leave an open corner. 7

When the. bag is filled with a powdery substance. the material when the bag is moved, gets in under the flaps 6 and tends to cause them to overlap, or press together, and

thus effectively seal the closing seam.

When the bag is being filled the'sides bulge out, and thus draw away from the flaps ar' ranged in a straight line, thus permitting the material to work behind the flap, exerting pressure against each flap that eflectually seals the bags. For this purpose, the flaps may either be of equal or unequal mfold and of varying dimension of infold as may be deemed suitable for the material to be handled.

Likewise when the bag is filled with a powdery substance, the pressure against the flaps increases as the bag is thrown on its side.

While I have illustrated my invention as applied to a lined burlap bag, such as is ord1- narily used for cement, I, of course, do not wish to be limited to any particular bag. It will be necessary in most cases to reinforce the edges of the mouth of the bag to furnish an effective hold for the staples, and these staples may be-hooks instead of loops.

In many causes the edge may be hemmed or a cord may be run through the hem. The wire for engaging the-loops may be furnished from a roll, and the bags as filled may be arranged in line, so that the wire can be threaded through a number of bags one after the other, and afterwards severed in proper lengths.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A bag closure for lined bags comprising in combination with a bag having flat parallel sides and open entirely across one end with a lining extending to the opening and folded inwardly on both sides to leave free flaps, metallic loops arranged along both edges of the opening, whereby when the edges are closed together, the loops will be brought into line, and a linear member inserted through the loops to retain them in line, with the free flaps acting automatically as a seal.

2. A bag closure for lined bags comprising in combination with a bag having flat parallel sides and open entirely across one end, with a lining extending to the opening and folded inwardly on both sides to leave free flaps, metallic loops arranged along both edges of the opening, in rows staggered as to each other, whereby when the edges are closed together the loops will be brought into line, and alinear member inserted through the loops to retain them in line, with the free flaps acting automatically as a seal.

3. A bag closure for lined bags compris ing in combination with a bag having flat parallel sides and open entirely across one end with a lining extending to the opening and folded inwardly on both sides to leave free flaps, metallic loops arranged along both edges of the opening, whereby when the edges are closed together, the loops will be brought into line, and a linear member inserted through the loops to retain them in llllC, said linear member comprising a removable relatively rigid rod, with the free flaps acting automatically as a seal.

4. A bag closure for lined bags comprising in combination with a bag having flat parallel sides and open entirely across one end with a lining extending to the opening and folded inwardly on both sides to leave free flaps, metallic loops arranged along both edges of the opening, in rows staggered as to each other. whereby when the edges are closed together the loops will be brought into line, and a linear member inserted through the loops to retain them in line, said linear member comprisin a'removable relatively rigid rod, with the free flaps acting automatically asaseal.

5. A bag closure for lined bags comprising in combination with a bag having flat parallel sides and open entirely across the end with a lining extending to the opening and folded inwardly on both sides to leave free flaps, stiffening means arranged at the edges of said opening, over which the lining is folded and secured, to form said edges into two substantially; straight lines, metallic loops arranged along said :stifi'ening means, so that when the edges are brought together the loops will alternate for the said two edges, and all will be in line, and a linear member inserted through the loops to retain them in line with the free flaps acting automatically as a seal.

. 6. A bag closure for lined bags comprising in combination with a bag having fiat parallel sides and open entirely across an end with a lining extending to the opening and folded inwardly on both sides to leave free flaps, stiffening means arranged at the edges of said opening over which the lining is folded and secured to form said edges into two substantially straight lines, metallic loops arranged along said stiffening means in stag-- gored relation for opposite edges, so that when the edges are brought together the loops will alternate for the said two edges, and all will be in line, and a linear member inserted through the loops to retain them in line with the free flaps acting automatically as a. seal.

7. In a bag closure for lined bags, the combination with a bag having fiat parallel sides and an opening entirely across one end with a lining extending to the opening and folded inwardly on both sides to leave free flaps, a series of engaging elements along both sides of the opening,and a common element received in said engaging elements, said common element being movable while in engagement to desired positions, whereby a filling or drawing opening may be left in the bag and subsequently closed with the free flaps acting automatically as a seal.

8. In a bag closure for lined bags, the combination with a bag having flat parallel sides and an opening entirely across one end with a lining extending to the opening and folded inwardly on both sides to leave a free flap, a member adapted to be moved into position to make a series of alternate engagements with the two sides of the opening, said'member being adjustable to positions of complete and partial closure of theo ening, with the free flaps acting automatically as a seal.

9. In a bag closure for lined bags, the combination with a bag having flat parallel sides and an opening entirely across one end with a lining extending to the opening and folded inwardly on both sides to leave free flaps, a

member adapted to be moved into position to make a series of alternate engagements with the two sides of the opening, said mem-' her being adjustable to positions of complete and partial closure of the opening, said member being rectilinear and substantiall rigid, witlh the free flaps acting automatica ly as a sea I 10. In a bag closure comprising in com bination with a bag having parallel sides and open entirely across one end, the sides of the bag at the opening being folded over to provide. flaps, a series of engaging elements \j O u I along both sides of theopemng and a common element received insaid engaging elements, said common element being movable while in engagement to desired positions of complete or partial closure of the opening with one or both flaps acting as an automatic seal.

11. In a bag closure comprising in combi nation with a bag having parallel sides, the.

wall of the bag at the opening having been folded over to provide a flap of the complete circumference of the opening, a series of engaging elements arranged along each "side of the opening, a movable member to engage such elements, the flap acting as an automatic seal when the bag is filled.

12. In a bag closure in combination a bag having an opening entirely across one end,

the wall of the bag having been folded over to provide opposite flaps, a stiffening means being arranged at said opening,-a series of engaging elements arranged along both sides of the opening, and a common element received in said'engaging elements, said common element being adjustable to desired positions, whereby a filling or drawing opening may be left in the bag, with the flaps acting automatically as a seal.

13. In a bag closure in combination a bag having parallel sides and an opening entirely across one end and flaps having been folded in at the opening and secured at the seams of the bag, metallic loops arranged along both edges of the opening, in rows staggered as to each other, whereby when the edges are closed together the loops will be brought into line and a linear member inserted in the loops to retain them in line, with the flaps acting automatically as a seal.

14. A bag closure in combination a bag having parallel sides and an opening entirely across one end, the wall of the bag having been folded inwardly over a stiffening means to provide flaps on each side of said opening. said flaps being secured in the seams of said bag, loops arranged along both edges of. the opening in rows staggered as to each other whereby when the edges are closed together the loops will be brought into line and a linear'movable member inserted in the loops to retain them in line, with the flaps acting automatically as a seal.

ALBERT B. FISHWICK. 

